Prototype 4K Samsung tablet spotted in the wild

Samsung could be about to trump the iPad Air and launch a tablet with a 4K display, latest reports have suggested.

Although Panasonic has already brought a 4K tablet to market with a frankly ridiculous 20-inch display, a prototype of Samsung’s 4K portable offering has been spotted doing the rounds in France with a far more consumer friendly 12-inch panel.

Spotted at a Qualcomm event in Paris, the prototype 4K Samsung tablet has been shown pairing a 12-inch 4K screen with the company’s trademark design, with a bezel-heavy plastic build partnered with the customary physical home button.

Running a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, the teased tablet is said to be nothing more than a developer reference device. That said, it could also give a serious nod to what the Korean manufacturer is planning for future devices.

With Qualcomm set to introduce its 4K enabled Snapdragon 805 chipset later this summer, the company’s Senior VP of Product Management, Raj Talluri has suggested that 4K tablets will be widely available before the year’s end.

Although Samsung is set to host a high-profile tablet launch event in New York City next Thursday, June 12, it is not believed the company will enter the 4K tablet race this soon.

Instead, next week’s launch looks set to focus on a new range of Samsung Tab S devices, a premium tablet line that will echo the flagship Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone in terms of design and high-end specs.